The truth about a complex built for veterans and the middle class and how it has evolved through the years to become one of the more interesting and controversial of New York stories.

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Management has two priorities: 1) Making sure money is made, hence upgrading and filling up apartments is their goal. "Amenities" are important in selling the place, though few residents use them. 2) If someone needs medical attention, Public Safety will be there, if alerted.

Quality of life issues are not that important, however. Things like the carpet rule or outsider dogs. These "rules" tend to be ignored, on purpose it seems. So you will see a lot that isn't taken care of properly, and complaints will be met with a creative excuse and a smile.

"Peace and quiet" must be a cruel joke, though this property is sold that way. There can be no peace and quiet as ALL apartments must be upgraded, which includes the installation of an AC unit below the window. Aside from the continual construction about the neighborhood, there is a new and noisy subway extension being built along East 14 st and the shut down of the L line. "Choosing" to live in NYC, now the newest mantra, is a fabrication when the talk is of ST and PCV, which was traditionally quiet, with no construction noise.

Though money was always important, it is now more important than ever. Money rules many things, as you will find.

At this point, 30 years into living here and seeing many things, I can state that Management and their reps are BS-ing us. I can't say that loudly enough: We are being BS-ed. I don't see any genuine change, though the "selling" of this place is intense. Few of the "rules" will be enforced, as Management doesn't want to lose customers or potential customers. Where personal integrity is a hallmark of an excellent management style, this integrity is not seen in enforcing some of the rules.

About those "club cars" we see going this way and that way, and outside of Stuy Town or Peter Cooper Village:

You know, it's statements and attitudes like the one below, posted on the TA Facebook, that make me want to say, "Fuck you and take care of your own problems. I don't have to worry because I'm a longtime RS tenant here." This is the type of PCVST resident we now have to accommodate. But then my rational side realizes that we must be in this ALL together for there to be any hope, if it hasn't already evaporated. Anyway, here's the statement:

"I'll support you, IF, and ONLY IF, the tennants association stops it's daily verbal attacks on market rate and younger tenants. Seriously, the head of the TA spends their time trying to ban young people from sun bathing? This is NYC, not Tehran. If you want solidarity, I want a written commitment that the Tennant Association will cease and desist such activity. Elsewise, good riddance. We pay 3x as much as rent stabilized people, we deserve AT LEAST equal representation."

"I'll support you, IF, and ONLY IF, the tennants association stops it's daily verbal attacks on market rate and younger tenants. Seriously, the head of the TA spends their time trying to ban young people from sun bathing? This is NYC, not Tehran. If you want solidarity, I want a written commitment that the Tennant Association will cease and desist such activity. Elsewise, good riddance. We pay 3x as much as rent stabilized people, we deserve AT LEAST equal representation"

No one is forcing you to pay 3x as much as rent stabilized people. If you think it is not worth the rent (and for some of the rents it is not worth the price in my opinion) then you are free to seek housing elsewhere - perhaps in one of the outer boroughs or elsewhere where the rents are more to you liking. The rents are high because folks like you are willing to pay it.

By the way, because of the Court of Appeals Roberts decision, you, like everyone else who has a lease here, are rent stabilized. That is not to say that the settlement is ideal or even good. In my opinion, the blame for that should be placed at the feet of a lazy Judge who did not want to try the case and who insisted on a settlement which allowed CW, who had nothing to lose from delay to drag their feet and not deal in good faith.

Also, the TA does not make daily verbal attacks on market rate and young renters and does not seek to ban sunbathing. Rather, it makes note of and chides of the boorish behavior of a minority of residents who have no respect for their neighbors.

In any event, as I said, if you think you are paying an unfair rent and don't like the rules, you can go someplace more suitable to your life style and financial resources.

There is one small confusion that I would like to clear up. "Rent Stabilized" does not mean, and never has meant, "low cost." It refers to a whole bunch of other legal rights. But the legally set rent is not necessarily a low rent. Does this help?

""I'll support you, IF, and ONLY IF, the tennants association stops it's daily verbal attacks on market rate and younger tenants. Seriously, the head of the TA spends their time trying to ban young people from sun bathing? This is NYC, not Tehran. If you want solidarity, I want a written commitment that the Tennant Association will cease and desist such activity. Elsewise, good riddance. We pay 3x as much as rent stabilized people, we deserve AT LEAST equal representation."

Hey, Dogbreath: I am a real rent stabilized tenants and I don't give a flying fuck for people with your mentality. I hope you get fleeced and take it up the ass from CW and go back to wherever you came from whimpering. The TA has bent over backwards to help the likes of you and the people whose rent is not in jeopardy have actually felt sorry for you and supportive you as you have been royally screwed by CW. Not anymore, though. Since reading your statement, I will be glad to see your sorry ass crawl out of here.

That's not even a bone. That's the deal. if you stay, you start paying new rent on June 1. If you give notice, you don't have to start paying the new rent before July 1. Even though you can give 60 days notice, if you leave before July 1, you don't end up paying any higher rent. But if you stay past July 1, then the new rent kicks in and presumably if you holdover. That was always the plan. They are pretending it's a bone to make it sound better than June 1, which is the real date for everyone who stays.

I'm assuming the increases, or lack of them, are based on previous turnovers in the apartment and any other "legal" maneuvers that provide a landlord the ability to raise rent on an apartment.

As for why CWCapital would stick it to market rate tenants--because the decision makers in that company are crazy? Or just completely unscrupulous. Or both. Undoubtedly they feel they can get even more of a top dollar, even if they have to cram in four students to an apartment to replace a market-rate paying tenant.

As for why CWCapital would stick it to market rate tenants--because the decision makers in that company are crazy? Or just completely unscrupulous. Or both. Undoubtedly they feel they can get even more of a top dollar, even if they have to cram in four students to an apartment to replace a market-rate paying tenant.

As much as I don't want to defend CWC here, there are facts that no one has mentioned. CWC has a fiduciary responsibility to operate the property in a way that makes the most money for the bondholders they represent. It's possible CWC had no choice but to pass on these increases as they did simply because it is in the final Roberts agreement. It was the responsibility of class members and their lawyers to cut a better deal and to be on the lookout for these types of clauses. However, due to pressure from Dan Garodnick, some of the other politicians who were at yesterdays rally like Kavanaugh and others such as Maloney and Schumer along with the TA who just wanted the deal done it was rushed and class members got screwed. The only concern Garodnick had was his own desire to reward his former law firm and others for the work they did on the Brookfield deal, a deal that should never go through. There are many reasons to hate CWC unfortunately this isn't one of them. Place the blame where it belongs, squarely on the shoulders of Garodnick, his pals and the TA.

>>Place the blame where it belongs, squarely on the shoulders of Garodnick, his pals and the TA.<<

Well, the ultimate "blame" resides with the person/entity who presses the trigger. And that's CWCapital.

I will agree that a push toward tenant condo ownership could very well be the culprit in the tenants' lawyers trying to get a Roberts settlement put into effect. That's what I've been saying since this rent fiasco erupted.

Well, the ultimate "blame" resides with the person/entity who presses the trigger. And that's CWCapital.

That just isn't true. Unless you have some sort of insider information that you're not sharing, it is more than likely that CWCapital had to honor the deal or face lawsuits from the bondholders or potential issues with various government entities. This issue has many many layers.

Plus, whether you're for it or not, the $ deal that the TA & Brookfield were offering to CWC actually MADE the bondholders whole! No haircut. Thus, these musg, insider-y theories regarding potential lawsuits from the bondholder against CWC kinda don't wash. Inconsistent logic is no logic at all...

Until There Is Silence No More

The Tenants Association and our councilman Dan Garodnick have mysteriously remained silent about a purported incident that occurred on July 12: the mugging by a group of individuals of someone right by Peter Cooper Village, along 20th Street.

The TA is basically done. Tenants can complain, but any action is negligible. The TA is effectively dead.

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"We'll be introducing a new process to identify registered dogs thus enabling Public Safety Officers to clearly approach offending dog owners. The registration will hang from the leash handle; clearly identifying the dog as registered.

"If the dog is not registered by May 1; a summons will be issued at the point of contact. If we learn the dog owner is not a resident, they will be escorted off the property."

Rick Hayduk, CEO and General Manager of PCVST. Letter to Barry Shapiro, February 2016.

STR here: I have been around since the inception of this dog policy and I have NEVER seen anyone escorted out of ST or PCV with their non-lanyard dog. But I have seen, many times, a dog owner from outside, and his/her dog, casually walking through ST or PCV.

THINKING of Renting in PCVST?

Read Yelp reviews to find out what it's like living here. Please note: All apartments are currently "rent-stabilized" but that doesn't prevent apartments from going up to 4K to 6K a month and even higher. How does this happen? Ask our politicians! Fact: Now less than half of the complex's apartments have the old rents and it's getting worse year by year--or better if you are the Real Estate Board of New York!

The Other Yelp Reviews

Yelp can be tricky and bounce reviews for a variety of reasons, like being a member and posting just one review. Very often, however, these reviews hold important truths about what's being reviewed. READ THESE TOO.

BICYCLES, MOPEDS, SCOOTERS, ETC.

Of course, "private property" but "public access" - whatever that means! And if a part of it is public access, do the rules of the city apply to our roads and sidewalks? Or does anything give because this complex is "private property"? Who comes here in case of a fire in one of our buildings? The Stuy Town Fire Brigade?

Hint: Look both ways if you are in the complex. Look on the ground, too!

61.03 Control of dogs and other animals to prevent nuisance. (a) A person who owns, possesses or controls a dog, cat or other animal shall not permit the animal to commit a nuisance on a sidewalk of any public place, on a floor, wall, stairway, sidewalk, lawn, garden or roof of any public or private premises used in common by the public, or on a fence, wall [or], stairway or entranceway of a building abutting on a public place

Banned & Oversize Dog Breeds in Stuy Town

Looks like there is some difficulty in enforcing the ban on certain dog breeds allowed inside Stuy Town/Peter Cooper Village. Somehow pitbulls and pitbull mixes have been registered in STPCV and are allowed to be freely walked about the grounds! Registered dogs in the complex are max 50 pounds. Total, if there is more than one! More than two, it's illegal. It's going to get worse, and, face it, Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village will never be like it once was.

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Read it and Weep

Current Value of ST/PCV

Was 5.4 Billion Dollars when Tishman Speyer bought the place.Became 1.7 Billion Dollars when Tishman Speyer left, with their tail between their legs. Of course, tenants now have to make up the loss.

Ex-landlord

Rob Speyer

1947 Stuy Town Plaque Honoring Met Life Chairman F.H. Ecker (Removed in 2002 and never seen again)

"... who with the vision of experience and the energy of youth conceived and brought into being this project, and others like it, that families of moderate means might live in health, comfort and dignity in park-like communities and that a pattern might be set of private enterprise productively devoted to public service."

I am writing on behalf of everyone at Tishman Speyer to express how honored we are to become part of your outstanding community. We are a business with deep roots in New York, a true love of our city and a great respect for the neighborhoods that make it special. We are committed to maintaining the unique character and environment that have made Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town such a wonderful place to live for so long. We look forward to providing you an extraordinary level of service and attentiveness that will be the source of pride and satisfaction for the entire community.

Neighborhood Recommendations

New to Stuy Town/Peter Cooper Village? Here are some basic recommendations.

Best supermarket: Associated on 14th St. between 1st Ave. and Ave A. The cheapest prices, fantastic weekly sales, very affordable lunches; solid, responsive management, but earthy. Some of the young female cashiers have attitude to spare, though. May be too far for Peter Cooper residents.

Best gym: Don't waste your money on the Oval Fitness Gym. Instead go to the earthy but real Asser Levy Recreational Center, right above 23rd St on Asser Levy Place (near the FDR Drive). $75 for a year's membership; seniors are almost free. Contains seasonal indoor and outdoor swimming pools, ping-pong table, two pool tables. Called by some rich people who wouldn't get caught going there "the prison gym," and you know why.

A Stuy Town favorite is Lenz's on 20 St. between the 20 St. Loop. The way New York used to be. Be careful of unwanted "pepper" in your food, however. Lenz's got a B grade rating and was temporarily closed down due to an order from the Health Department. Bruno's on First Avenue is more upscale, with a greater selection of food items (higher-priced, too), but was closed down temporarily by the Health Department. Stuy Town's own cafe was closed, too! And not because of all the dogs that hover and piss outside.

Gracefully has two locations, but we prefer for its size the one on 1st Ave. Prices are high and reflect the new tenants that are currently renting Stuy Town and Peter Cooper apartments. ("Do you have a credit card?") We like Gracefully's lunch specials, which are somewhat affordable.

I priced the CVS on 1st Ave near 14st. The non-aerosol hairspray was 20 cents above CVS' own website price, and one of the highest in NY. (Yes, I have hair.) You can save at least a dollar or more buying at another place. So beware. Look around for a better deal on all your items.

I love warm Quaker Oats in the morning. Gristedes is not the place to get it, nor is Associated, though their price is less. Look around!

Macular Degeneration Support Group

If you are currently diagnosed with Macular Degeneration, the New York Eye & Ear Infirmary is offering a support group for you. Conveniently located next to the Peter Cooper Village Stuyvesant Town apartment complex, our group offers the opportunity to share stories with other members, listen to expert guest speakers, and learn coping strategies to reduce stress. Our group runs on the first Wednesday of every month and we would enjoy seeing you there.
Please contact Baptiste Nicolas, Social Work Assistant at 212-979-4105 for further information and to see if this group is right for you!